A baby is not capable of repentance, as it has no understanding of right or wrong. Secondly, repentance means you acknowledge your sin and make an effort not to do this again. A child has neither of these capabilities. Thirdly, no man may speak or promise on behalf of another man - you cannot repent for my sins, nor I repent for yours.
The child is simply nothing more but a puppet in a ceremony, having neither voice, vote or understanding of the covenant he is being entered into.
If we were to actually bother to read the bible, you would read that multitudes were preached to, and children were encouraged to learn. The bible states that men and women were baptized, but NEVER a child. This includes Jesus Christ, who went to a temple as a child, but was not baptized until he reached the age of accountability, and fully understood and willfully accepted the covenant he was to enter into.
How does the Kingdom of heaven belong to them then?
Et tu Hodar
1 Peter3:21 This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God 7 for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.
Repentance is for those over the age of reason, since only those are capable of sin. A baby is not capable of commiting personal sin.
In infant Baptism, Original Sin, which all men naturally inherit, is washed away. In adults, both Original Sin and personal sin is washed away.
Since God gave parents authority over their children, they have the authority not only to name them, but also to speak in their name.
Hey Hodar ... when I was a young Catholic I was told the purpose of infant baptism was to “wash away” original sin to give “a fresh start” to the new young Christian...does anyone still talk about that angle or was I told wrong by those wacky nuns back in the 60s? ... magritte